Title Run In

[kellzfresh 7,226]

I believe 22 points is enough (W7 D1 L2).

I dont think we need to go as high as 89 points in order to win the league. All teams are dropping points, 84-85 will definitely do!

We have 63 points now, we need 24 points. 8 wins 2Losses or 7Wins 3Draws in the last 10 games. Going by our recent run of 10wins and 3 draws in our last 13, this is so possible.

Anything about 87points and above will guarantee the title.

[Rmpr 8,977]

We have 63 points now, we need 24 points. 8 wins 2Losses or 7Wins 3Draws in the last 10 games. Going by our recent run of 10wins and 3 draws in our last 13, this is so possible.

Anything about 87points and above will guarantee the title.

How much you want to bet that 85 points will be enough to win the title?

Of course 87 will guarantee it, but ultimately it wont be needed, imo.

[Jase 43,479]

The run-in...

We could open up a 10-point gap on Arsenal and Liverpool if we win our next 2 games before they play because we face Villa on 15th March (Sat) and they play their respective matches on 16th March (Sun).

Also, needless to say that Arsenal's next 4 league games are massive and that is not even including the fact that they face Everton in the FA Cup and Bayern in the Champions League before those 4 games.

P.S. By the way, that City game against United is one of their 3 games in hand and it's a midweek game. Hence why the other 3 have no games then.

Just only realized, if Man City beat Wigan in the FA Cup this weekend, their league game against Liverpool next month will be postponed OR be moved forward depending on circumstances. Could add even more pressure on City then if they are far behind, despite having games in hand. That of course applies to Liverpool and Arsenal too (vs West Ham in the league) if they beat Everton in the FA Cup this weekend.

EDIT: Just saw the fixtures again and seems like Liverpool's home game against Sunderland (postponed this weekend due to the latter's game in FA Cup) will be played in the same midweek as City's match against United. As for Arsenal and Man City's games in hand, supposed they'll be decided depending on both of their outcome in the FA Cup and Champions League next week.

Edited March 3, 2014 by BluesMaster

[kellzfresh 7,226]

How much you want to bet that 85 points will be enough to win the title?

Of course 87 will guarantee it, but ultimately it wont be needed, imo.

Looking at the history of EPL winners, 86 points and above is the usual. I don't think 85 will be enough.

City have 57 points now and 12 games left. If they win 9 out of 12, they will have 84points. This is very possible.

They have tough away games and a jam packed fixture schedule but they surely can pick 9 wins and a draw in 12 games imo. They also have the goal difference advantage.

So to be safe, 86points is a minimum for us and 87 will guarantee the title.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Just one slip up from City and its breathing space. Players tend to perform better when teams have a sort of gap between especially towards the business end of the league.

9 points ahead still is not going to make us favorites unless City drops even a point somewhere before both teams get par on games played.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

How much you want to bet that 85 points will be enough to win the title?

Of course 87 will guarantee it, but ultimately it wont be needed, imo.

Don't think so, especially with City's ginormous goal difference.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Looking at the history of EPL winners, I don't think 85 will be enough.

City have 57 points now and 12 games left. If they win 9 out of 12, they will have 84points. This is very possible.

They have tough away games and a jam packed fixture schedule but they surely can pick 9 wins and a draw in 12 games imo.

So to be safe, 86points is a minimum for us and 87 will guarantee the title.

If this was any other year, I would 100% agree with you. However, this season has been different. There is no clear dominant team and everybody is dropping silly points.

City has the potential to win 10 matches in 12, but I trully dont believe they will. If they were so incredible like most people say, they wouldnt have 57 points after 26 games. They are amazing on paper, but they still havent fully figured out how to produce week-in, week-out (especially away from the Etihad)!

This year's Premier League is somewhat like the Brazilian League, lol. The top 5-6 teams are so leveled that the winner could have easily ended up outside the top four or whatever. So you have an idea, the champion of Brazil usually finishes with 75-78 points and the fourth finishes with 70 or so. It is less than 3 games separating the first to the fourth. The difference is Brazilian teams are so close to one another because they are all shit, while in the EPL it is close because the top teams are really good, hehehehe.

So, unlike previous seasons, there is genuine competiton for the clubs this year. There is no one running away with the league and every single game can be considered quite difficult. It wouldnt surprise anyone if one of the top four lose to the bottom 3. Things are extremely packed now and that makes everything a little bit different.

[Barbara 15,149]

Generally agree, especially with the bolded part. I don't know if a cup final win against Sunderland is another day in the office for City though. Sunderland is like their bogey team and winning a trophy in a final against them will surely lift team morale, particularly at this stage of the season.

Up until now I haven't seriously entertained the thought of us winning the title but you're probably right that it's now 50-50, if we open a 9 point gap from them, then we're favorites imo. Like you said, It's very unlikely they will be able to catch up. A team would have to be very resilient (both physically and mentally) in order to cope with that pressure and I don't think they are.

you know why I'm reluctant to say it'll work as psychological boost for them?

They aren't a team of boys - like we sort of are for example, and even then, some of our boys won Europa League with us last season - and they should already know the feeling of winning something. They're players on their peak, that have been around the block a time or two, more experienced even emotionally.

When I look to their squad the feeling I get is they don't need a 4th in importance or last in importance title to add to their confidence because they should already know what's like being in the final lap to win.

I feel they were happy, but how much does it relieve pressure or give a relevant good feeling for them about 1) beating Barça - their shortest term main goal; 2) add confidence to dismiss the pressure of not allowing themselves to drop another point, otherwise they know they'll depend on us slipping too (which in all honesty, I feel is unlikely, as I'll cover below). I'd say honestly little pressure was relieved from their shoulders, if any.

To be honest, and maybe I'm biased (I guess not, but who knows?), our second half against Fulham, after the tiring trip to Turkey, after an awful first half, and having the manager spit 10 seconds worth of curses and leave the dressing room during HT is going to work as a confidence boost on us more than City coming back against Sunderland to win the League Cup title. And that's because I few some of our players are still too young to deal with the pressure and responsibility of winning matches at all costs to be champions. But they did it last Saturday, on their own.

The second half is mainly the players' doing, unless Holland or Billy gave the motivational speech of the century to bring their spirits up (tactically we didn't change), if they spoke at all. I think everyone was speechless about Mourinho's unexpected absence to even come up with a speech. I expect at most a few words said by a few people (players and people from the staff). I'm shocked no one in the media called Mourinho on playing mind games even with his team... So if they players were determined - even against one of the weakest teams in the league - and played so well in the second all by themselves, it's because something might have clicked in their minds imo. If (only using this preposition to avoid jinxing, otherwise I'd use a different one ) we raise this trophy at the end of the season, this is the match I'm going to look back and say 'that's when things changed'.

I expect us to be very fierce from now on and regardless of the points we need to win or not to be champions (I won't get into the current discussion because I don't know how to predict those things) and to drop very few points. I think there are two games that we could drop points: Liverpool and Villa away. If we get passed Villa with 3 points, I think our chances go up to 60 (I wish this fixture was earlier, but maybe it's a good thing to play them at the very end of the season when we're likely to be playing 1 game a week just like them).

[ZOS 580]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2572736/Rodgers-tactical-genius-need-change-teams-winning-league-heres-10-reasons-ALL-want-Liverpool-title.html

what a drivel

[Paul1970 250]

How much was he paid to write that....

[Special Juan 27,111]

Verbal diarrhea

[Kieran. 6,317]

For me personally, if we beat Spurs, it's our title to lose.

[Fernando 6,388]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2572736/Rodgers-tactical-genius-need-change-teams-winning-league-heres-10-reasons-ALL-want-Liverpool-title.html

what a drivel

Hoping for more of this:

[didierforever 7,349]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2572736/Rodgers-tactical-genius-need-change-teams-winning-league-heres-10-reasons-ALL-want-Liverpool-title.html

what a drivel

LOL!!!!

[NishC300 1,865]

Villa away as well. They were the better side in the game at the Bridge and we only won with a huge help from the ref (not sending Iva off) and the lino not spotting the offside for the winner.

Don't remember the Iva being sent off incident but I do remember he denied Villa a peno.

[1chelsea 864]

Am happy Jose is here and 2 hazard is here, he our best player ATM and the want to win the league title should be burning him out for him to keep performing or drive the team to three point in our remaining match. With all the read in this thread made the hunger for the title too strong that I want It - I want it - I want it

[NishC300 1,865]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2572736/Rodgers-tactical-genius-need-change-teams-winning-league-heres-10-reasons-ALL-want-Liverpool-title.html

what a drivel

LOL!!!!

?

Don't get this reaction. Why would any neutral fan prefer if it, if we won the title rather than them?

[Pizy 17,861]

Usually like Durham on TalkSport because he takes the piss out of Arsenal and Spuds so much, but he really is the ultimate WUM.

And Liverpool have spent a shit ton of cash in recent years. What's he on about there? Laughable. If Liverpool or Arsenal don't win the title this season I think they'll find it nearly impossible for the foreseeable future. Both City and ourselves will strengthen in key areas and our current players will only get better. Neither of those sides have the squads to challenge on multiple fronts and sustain a title challenge at the same time.

That's why I think Liverpool will struggle next season when they're in the CL. They'll have to strengthen massively and keep Suarez in order to have a shot. Plus United will have their full attention and focus on the PL next season and will hugely invest in the summer so that's one more big side to contend with.